Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, February 8. Also check out the showdown between Jake Tapper (truth, facts) and Kellyanne Conway (lies, lies and more lies).

Leaks Suggest Trump’s Own Team Is Alarmed By His Conduct (“White House leaks are common, but leakers suggesting the president might be unfit for office are not.” Of course he’s unfit for office, just listen to him for 5 minutes and anyone – other than Fox “News” zombies and/or Trump fanatics – can see that.)

If he only had a soul (“Our Boy President’s bloviations at the National Prayer Breakfast were not encouraging.”)

Schapiro: Va. campaign as culture clash (“The fight in the House of Delegates over dog hunting is a reminder that candidates, officeholders and voters are increasingly isolated, clinging to unrealistic expectations based on uninformed views.”)

“If I understand the situation, Warren’s alleged misdeed was that, in quoting Coretta Scott King’s statement about Jeff Sessions from 30 years ago, she was speaking more ill of a fellow Senator than is allowed by Senate rules. Even if we stipulate that such rules are appropriate, their application in this instance seems to me wholly inappropriate. We need ask only one question: If such things were quoted regarding any other presidential nominee to a cabinet position, would that be objectionable? If not, then the rule really should not apply here.

In the present context, the discussion of Jeff Sessions is not about him in his role as Senator Jeffrey Session but in his role as the president’s nominee to fill an important cabinet position. His being a senator is irrelevant to that discussion– or at least it should be. When it comes to the confirmation process, what justification can there be for applying different rules to nominees who happen to be sitting senators and those who come from other parts of American society?

The Republicans are just continuing their unprincipled ways. But also, happily, continuing to grab for power in ways that should prove self-defeating. Had Elizabeth Warren just said her say and left the floor, how many people would be aware of Ms. King’s condemnation of Sessions from back in 1986. By making a federal case out of her remarks, the Republicans just draw more sustained attention to Sessions’ record of racist uses of the powers with which he has been entrusted.”

I write to express my sincere opposition to the confirmation of Jefferson B. Sessions as a federal district court judge for the Southern District of Alabama. My professional and personal roots in Alabama are deep and lasting. Anyone who has used the power of his office as United States Attorney to intimidate and chill the free exercise of the ballot by citizens should not be elevated to our courts. Mr. Sessions has used the awesome powers of his office in a shabby attempt to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters. For this reprehensible conduct, he should not be rewarded with a federal judgeship.

I regret that a long-standing commitment prevents me from appearing in person to testify against this nominee. However, I have attached a copy of my statement opposing Mr. Sessions’ confirmation and I request that my statement as well as this be made a part of the hearing record.

TODAY: Perriello to Make Major Policy Announcement at Richmond Press Conference

Tom Perriello, Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, will make a major policy announcement today, Wednesday, February 8, at a press conference at Libby Hill Park in Richmond. Tom will take questions from the press and be available for interviews…

Several other male senators are also reading the letter without any silencing! Spare me the so-called decorum argument – the only special “snowflakes” are those Republicans who are now trying to insist on political correctness when they have repeatedly violated the 19th rule.

“The confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General makes America less safe. For years, Senator Sessions has voted in lockstep with the gun lobby’s extreme agenda and now he intends on bringing that agenda to the Justice Department. As Attorney General, Sessions will seek to enact and defend policies that are favored by the NRA but rejected by the majority of Americans. On behalf of our supporters, we pledge to do everything in our power to save our nation’s gun laws and expose the dangerous and unpopular policies that the Trump Administration is imposing on the American people.”